1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method for feeding a wood batch into a pressure grinder, according to which method the wood batch is transferred first into a side feeding chamber, which is pressurizable to the same pressure as a continuously pressurized grinding chamber, and thereafter from the side feeding chamber into a feeding chamber where the wood batch is during grinding pushed into contact with a grinding element, such as a pulp stone, rotating in the grinding chamber, whereby the wood batch is transferred substantially horizontally from the side feeding chamber into the feeding chamber in the direction of the rotation axis of the grinding element.
The invention also relates to an arrangement for feeding wood batches into a pressure grinder, the arrangement comprising a frame forming a pressurizable grinding chamber, a rotating grinding element in the grinding chamber, a feeding chamber opening to the grinding chamber, feeding equipment for pushing a wood batch against the grinding element in the grinding chamber, a side feeding chamber on the side of the feeding chamber, a transfer apparatus for feeding the wood batch from the side feeding chamber into the feeding chamber in the direction of the shaft of the grinding element, and a feeding sluice for pressure-tight closing of a feed opening between the feeding chamber and the side feeding chamber.
2. Description of Related Art
CA Patent 1 255 530 discloses a method and equipment, wherein a wood batch is fed into a pressure grinder from the side substantially horizontally and in the direction of the rotation axis of the grinding element. This solution provides the advantage that feeding problems caused by a conventional way of dropping wood batches from above can be avoided. However, as to transferring and feeding the wood batches in particular, this solution has certain limitations, since wood must be transported and fed into the feeding chamber from the side to avoid the problems caused by the dropping. In case of grinder replacements, in particular, this means that the entire wood transportation mechanism has to be replaced, which, on one hand, increases costs and, on the other hand, causes problems in groundwood mill traffic and other functions.